“My dearest Papa! I cannot write Poetically; I am not a poet. I cannot arrange my words so carefully that they reflect shadow and light; I am not a painter. I cannot even express my feelings and thoughts through gestures and Pantomimes; I am not a dancer. But I can do it with Music. I am Musikus.”

A magical evening of Mozart in music and words

Eva Thorarinsdottir (violin), Nick Bootiman (viola) and Clare O'Connell (cello) present  selection of preludes and Fugues from JS Bach arranged for string trio by Mozart,  followed by a performance of the greatest work in the string trio repertoire: Mozart’s Divertimento in Eb major KV 563

Woven through the music will be extracts from some of Mozart’s most intriguing, funny and heart breaking letters read by actor Mark Bonnar.

“Madame Bernaskoni is here; she is getting a salary of 500 ducats because she sings all her arias a fraction higher than everyone else. It’s true art because she manages to keep in tune. Now she said she would sing a 1/4 tone higher still, but she wants twice the money. adieu.”

Refreshments will be provided by by Nathan of Nate’s Bakes, a year 11 student at Ashlyns who is raising money for his World Challenge expedition to Borneo in July 2026.

We are thrilled that he will be selling brownies and his famous ginger drizzle during the interval!